April 12, 2012 – Allegheny students will compete this Saturday in the Gator Innovation Challenge, a competition designed to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship among Allegheny students by inviting them to create an idea for a business venture or sustainable social enterprise.

Students — who prepare a summary of their business idea and then make a PowerPoint presentation to a group of judges — are competing for cash prizes of $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place.

The presentations are open to the public and will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, in the auditorium in Quigley Hall.

Each proposal focuses on an innovative project that could create wealth and/or address a community problem, bring together and/or create resources in creative ways and has the potential to make a lasting contribution to the well-being of society.

The Gator Innovation Challenge is coordinated by two members of the economics faculty at Allegheny College: John Golden and Chris Allison. The competition is sponsored by Allegheny College’s Managerial Economics Program.

Eleven teams competed in last year’s challenge, with the first-place winner proposing an aquaponics farm that would grow both lettuce and tilapia on a local brownfield site.